


Be Brave Before You Lose The Chance To Be

by FennecFoundaPencil



Series: Reddie Oneshots [4]
Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Acceptance, Coming Out, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Richie Tozier, Kissing, M/M, No Smut, Reddie, The Clubhouse (IT), bro beings bros, softest thing i've ever written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 15:13:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20837612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FennecFoundaPencil/pseuds/FennecFoundaPencil
Summary: Richie was still Richie, and for some weird reason, Eddie thought Richie being gay made him like him more.





	Be Brave Before You Lose The Chance To Be

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as a short story of Richie coming out that I posted on my tumblr, then I couldn't stop thinking about them being soft and had to write this.

**July 23rd, 1989**

It was a hot day in the Barrens and the clubhouse offered a cool escape. Only two of the Losers had gone down there today, one swinging lazily in the hammock while the other sat on the ground next to it, legs crossed as he organized the things in his fanny pack. There was a movement behind him, and the feeling of something rubbing against the back of his neck. The smaller boy looked back, glaring at his friend and grabbing his offending ankle.

“Don’t fucking touch me with your nasty feet Richie, god knows where they’ve been,” He snapped. 

Richie snorted, wiggling his foot in Eddie’s grasp. “You do it to me all the time Eds, I’m just getting my long needed revenge,”

Eddie stood up from the ground, dropping Richie’s foot and crossing his arms. The medical supplies he was organizing sat on a small square of blanket on the dirt, so they wouldn’t get dirty. “I did that like, once, don’t be so petty,”

“I’m not petty,” Richie nudged the boy’s stomach with his clothed toe, grinning. Eddie rolled his eyes, grabbing the limb and reaching forward to pin it in the hammock. 

“Stop it,”

“Make me,”

“You’re so fucking annoying oh my god,” Eddie complained as he climbed into the hammock with Richie, ignoring his friend’s protests as he sat on his legs. Richie attempted to wiggle them free, but to no avail, they were trapped.

“No,” He whined. “Eds get up!”

“Don’t call me Eds,”

“I’m gonna lose all feeling in my legs, they’ll fall off, you really want my legs to fall off?”

“Pretty sure you deserve it, Rich,”

Richie pouted, looking at Eddie with downcast eyes. Just as the boy on his legs sighed, Richie grabbed the front of his polo, pulling Eddie down to lay against him. He then immediately wrapped his arms around Eddie, squeezing lightly. 

“Now you’re trapped,”

Eddie felt a blush rise up his cheeks, heart thumping against Richie’s chest. He was warm, and it was nice. Eddie was completely thrown off guard.

“Ri-Rich,” He stammered. 

“No no, Eddie my love, you will not be spared, it’s too late,” Richie ruffled his hair, adjusting how they were laying to get more comfortable holding him in the hammock.

Eddie glanced up to see Richie was also sporting a bright pink on his face, dopey grin reaching his glasses. The two stared at each other, neither moving, and almost daring the other to try and move apart. Finally Eddie gave in, dropping his head against Richie’s chest and staying there. The lanky boy hummed in contentment, laying his head back and pulling off his glasses to place them on the ground beside the swing. 

They swung lazily like that, flush against each other and listening to the sounds of the outside above them. Eventually Eddie’s eyes fluttered closed, and he nuzzled into Richie as the world started to drift away. While on the borderline of consciousness, Eddie felt lips press against his head. 

When Eddie woke up he forgot where he was, rubbing his eyes and sitting up only to swing sharply from the sudden imbalance of weight. Richie, who’d also fallen asleep, awoke with a jerk, startled expression fading to a smile when he saw Eddie. 

“Out like a light Eds, manage to use up the energy in that tiny body of yours?”

“Oh shut up Richie, you were just as tired,”

“It’s all the exercising me and your mom have been getting up to,” Richie retorted with a wink, laughing as Eddie smacked his arm. “Abuse! Abuse!” 

“You totally deserve-“ Richie stopped Eddie mid sentence by wrapping an arm around him and pulling him back down so their faces were inches apart. 

“Eddie,” Richie said, swallowing. His face was beet red. “There’s a reason I only asked you to come here today, I have something to tell you,” 

Eddie blinked, thrown off guard. Richie was never known to be serious, especially about his emotions. “Uh, Yeah Rich?”

“I had a dream, and you,” Richie looked to the side, whispering the end. “You died,” 

Eddie’s eyes widened before he sat up, detaching from the arm Richie had wrapped around him. Richie followed him, each now sitting across from each other in the hammock. Richie reached off the side and picked up his glasses, placing them on his face and pushing them up on his nose. His eyes looked bigger behind the glass. 

“That was just a dream, I’m right here,” Eddie answered, pointing to his chest. 

“I know, I know you are,” Richie fidgeted with his hands as he spoke, clasping and unclasping. “Eddie I’m-Eddie,” He took a shaky breath, looking Eddie in the eyes. 

“Eddie I- I like-I like boys,” 

The words took a moment to process, Eddie running them through his mind over and over. Richie liked boys? Like liked boys? Why was he telling him now? What did it have to do with Eddie dying? He didn’t know how to respond, thinning his lips and looking down. 

“Do, do you mind?” Richie asked, voice small. Eddie looked up, noticing the paleness of Richie’s face, the worried crease in his brows. 

Eddie shook his head. “You’re my best friend Rich,” 

Richie let out a shaky laugh, running his hand through his hair. “You don’t have to be nice-“

“I’m not just being fucking nice,” The boy stopped him with. “I don’t care if you want to, do stuff with dudes, we’re still friends,” 

Richie nodded, hands clasping tightly together. “But do you care?”

“Do I care?”

Richie swallowed. “Do you think it’s gross?” 

Eddie took his hands in his own, quickly shaking his head. “No, no I don’t,” If it were anyone else he probably would be a bit, unsettled, to be completely honest. Eddie had never really had the fondest mental image of queers, but that was mostly influenced by his mom and the town they lived in. Richie was still Richie, and for some weird reason, Eddie thought Richie being gay made him like him more. 

Richie smiled softly, eyes beginning to water. He looked like he still had something to say, that it didn’t just end at ‘liking boys,’ but Eddie didn’t mention it. After a moment's hesitation, Richie detached their hands and pulled Eddie in for a hug, holding onto him tightly as tears began to slide down his cheeks. Eddie pressed his face into Richie’s shoulder, holding him back. 

He wondered if the other losers knew, a selfish part of him hoped he was the first. Richie confided something really serious in him, and Eddie...He pulled Richie closer, trying to emphasize how much he cared about him through the hug. He heard Richie choke as the tears sped up and he felt him clench the back of Eddie’s shirt in his hands. 

**June 12th, 1990**

The two boys stared up at the blue sky as a flock of birds passed overhead, the flutter of their wings barely reaching the teens ears. Eddie smiled, closing his eyes and letting the sun beam down onto his face. He’d been getting a tan that summer, accompanied by a scattering of freckles the spread from his nose down to his shoulders. He’d never gotten a tan before, not with his mom always keeping him inside, but after their fight she’d been a lot less overprotective, letting him do what he wanted. Beside him, Richie sat up, looking down at him in concentration. In the past half year or so his features had also changed, sharpened, and he’d grown a bit more into his glasses. He was shifting from lanky child to lanky teen, lanky attractive teen. As Eddie glanced over to see what he was doing, he couldn’t help but let his eyes linger on Richie’s face, outlining the curls that framed it. 

“We should go to the clubhouse, Richie said simply, standing up. Eddie stood up with him, brushing the grass of his legs and adjusting his fanny pack. Richie’s face was blank, eyes almost looking past Eddie. 

“You have something in mind?” Eddie asked, tilting his head, nerves beginning to tingle under his skin. 

Richie nodded, turning around silently and leading the way. It was weird for Richie to be so quiet, and Eddie couldn’t help but grip his fanny pack a little harder as they walked. 

As he descended after Richie into the clubhouse Eddie’s mind raced with what Richie was going to tell him. Last time they’d been alone in the clubhouse he’d come out to him, and while it was a sentimental moment, they hadn’t talked about it since. Richie stood in the cramped space, staring thoughtfully at the hammock as Eddie came to a stop in front of him. His gazing far away.

“Richie, are you alright?” 

Richie snapped out of his daze, laughing lightly and running a hand through his hair. “Remember last summer when I told you I was g-“ He tightened his lips. “Liked boys,”

Eddie nodded. “That wasn’t too long ago Rich,” 

Richie shoved his hands into the pockets of his khakis, looking at Eddie with a nervous smile. “I’ve never actually kissed a boy, so I don’t think I really know,” 

Eddie furrowed his brows. He didn’t know how being gay worked, he’d always just assumed you  _ knew _ . “You don’t know?”

“I don’t,” Richie looked back at the hammock, then sat down on it, swinging ever so slightly. 

“Wouldn’t you just,” Eddie squeezed the air. “Know though?”

“I don’t think so,” Richie traced a circle into the dirt with his shoe. “I mean, I wanna kiss boys, but what if I do and I don’t like it?” 

Eddie was surprised Richie was being so open with him, it was unlike him to drop his humor and talk emotions, maybe it was because Eddie was the only one who knew his secret. 

He blinked. “Do you want to kiss me?” He’d barely thought through the words before they were out of his mouth, and Richie seemed to freeze, feet sharply hitting the ground. Eddie gulped, fidgeting with the end of his shirt. “I mean you don’t have to it was just a-“ 

“You better not be fucking with me Eds,” Richie responded quietly, voice small. “You better-“

“I’m not man,” Eddie held up his hands in surrender. “I’m just, helping out, as a friend,”

“As a friend,” Richie repeated, staring at the ground. 

Eddie suddenly felt very stupid. “I get it, it’s weird, I shouldn’t have suggested that-“ 

Quickly Richie stood up from the swing, walking over to Eddie and taking his hands in his own. “I really think that might work,” 

“You do?”

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve kissed your mom and stuff, so it might be a little weird-“

“Beep Beep,”

Richie looked into his eyes, swallowing. “You really okay with it?”

Eddie nodded. “It’s you Rich, why wouldn’t I be?”

A light pink dusted the boy’s cheeks, and he dropped one of Eddie’s hands in favor of cradling his face. Richie had big hands, Eddie couldn’t help but think as a thumb ran over his lip. 

“Try not to fall in love with me,” Richie mumbled as he leaned forward, pressing his full lips against Eddie’s. Eddie was a bit shocked, not exactly expecting Richie to just go for it. The other teen’s lips were chapped, but for some reason Eddie liked it. He relaxed, pressing back and placing his free hand on Richie’s shoulder as his eyes fluttered shut. Richie seemed to take that as a good sign, moving his lips and stepping closer to Eddie. Eddie felt his heart begin to race, Richie was still clasping one of Eddie’s hands with his own while the other was tracing circles onto his cheek. Richie squeezed the hand he was holding and Eddie thought he might melt straight into the floor. A thought passed through his mind, he wished he was born gay too, like Richie, because kissing him was...was... _ hell, _

It was  _ great _ . 

When the other boy pulled away Eddie almost whined, not letting go of his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Richie staring at him, brown eyes wide and soft. 

“Eds,” The curly haired boy said. “Eds, I think I’m definitely very into boys,” 

Eddie laughed lightly, their hands unclasping. “Glad, to uh, help,” 

Richie nodded, letting go of Eddie’s face, the shorter took that as a sign to detach completely from him as well, dropping his arm. “Did you like it too?” 

“Did I…” Eddie swallowed. “Did I like it?” 

Richie nodded, watching him intently. 

“If I did would that mean-“

“Not for sure,” Richie answered quickly. “All we did was kiss, doesn’t exactly matter that we’re both boys,” 

Eddie nodded dumbly. “Okay, I liked it,” He answered softly.

Richie beamed, face so bright Eddie almost felt the need to pull out his sunglasses. “So you’d do it again? With me?”

He pulled his lips back at that, staring at the ground for a few beats before nodding. Richie gasped, hugging Eddie tightly. 

“Oh my love, I always knew-“

“Don’t call me that,”

“But you are! My love, my spaghetti, my Eds,”

“It’s just kissing,” 

“Yes, but it’s with you!” Richie released him, holding his shoulders and grinning at him. 

Eddie blushed, shaking Richie off. “Whatever, fuck off,” 

His friend just nodded, swinging his arms back and forth. “Cute, cute, cute,”

They stayed a bit longer in the clubhouse after that, Richie excitedly telling Eddie about his new favorite comics while they sat beside each other in the dirt. The sun shone gently through the open hatch, highlighting Richie’s cheekbones as he spoke. Eddie looked away, staring at the dirt and mental mapping all of the rocks and stones littering it. If Richie noticed the bright red staining Eddie’s face, he didn’t say anything. 

**October 13th, 1992**

Eddie gnawed on his lip as he looked over his chemistry homework, numbers and symbols simply sitting in his vision, incomprehensible. From his bed someone snorted, followed by the sound of silky pages turning. Eddie sighed, sitting back in his desk chair and pinching the bridge of his nose. High school was going to be the death of him, and he was only in his sophomore year. Richie laughed again, biting his bottom lip to muffle the sound. Eddie turned to glare at him, Richie grinning at him with no shame in return. The teen put down his comic, sitting up on the bed and sliding off the side onto his feet. 

“Need my attention Eds?”

“I’ve told you not to call me Eds-“

“Shhh,” Richie walked up behind him, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s shoulders. Eddie snapped his mouth shut and looked forward, ears turning pink as Richie chuckled lightly, leaning down and pressing a kiss right below Eddie’s ear. 

“Richie what are you doing?”

“You look tense,” The teen released his arms to rub his hands up and down Eddie’s biceps. “Let me loosen you up,” 

Eddie groaned. “Please never say anything like that again Trashmouth,” 

He felt lips press against the nap of his neck, trailing down to the collar of his shirt. “You know you like it,” 

“Don’t assume things,”

Richie stopped his attack to Eddie’s neck, standing up straight and walking back to the bed. “Then I’ll stop,” He responded with a devious grin. 

“You’re a menace,” Giving in, Eddie spun around his chair and stood up, stalking over to Richie and placing himself on his lap. Richie’s grin turned more dopey as he leaned forward and pecked the smaller teen on the lips. Eddie smiled back, wrapping his arms around Richie’s neck. 

“You love me,” Richie said simply, reaching up and pinching Eddie’s cheek. Eddie smacked his hand away, pouting when the boy just laughed in response. The two were quiet then, staring into each other’s eyes. Flecks of hazel shone in Richie’s, proportional to his face now that he wore contacts. 

“Rich?”

“Mmhmm Eds?” Richie placed his hands on Eddie’s thighs, not suggestively, just to hold him. 

“I think I do,”

The teen tilted his head, brown curls flopping into his face. “You think you what?” 

“I think I’m in love with you,” 

Richie grinned so hard Eddie thought his face might split, he pushed his mop of hair into Eddie’s chest, “I thought you didn’t like boys Eds,” He said, tone light and playful. 

“Don’t make me repeat myself,”

Richie’s chest shook with laughter, and he lifted his head up, placing a hard closed-mouth kiss to Eddie’s lips, then to his cheeks, and his nose, and his eyelids. 

Eddie sputtered, fumbling with his hands to push Richie back. “Stop that it tickles!” 

“I’m so happy, god, Spaghetti I love you too!” Richie pressed another kiss to Eddie’s mouth. “So much,” Another. “So so much,” 

Eddie returned the kisses, smiling against Richie’s mouth. “Good, or this wouldn’t have ended very fucking well,”

Richie laughed again, sounding so genuinely happy that it made Eddie’s heart soar. “I’m never going to stop kissing you now,”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “I still have homework to finish,” Richie ignored him, planting kisses down the side of Eddie’s neck, soft and sweet. 

“ _ Richie,” _

“I’m busy, sorry, call again tomorrow-“

“You are not!” He felt laughter against his skin, giddy and excited. 

“Does this mean we're boyfriends? Are we boyfriends Eddie?” 

Eddie shrugged. “Does it really matter as long as we like each other-“

Richie’s head shot up, and he bit his bottom lip before bursting into a ramble. “If it doesn’t matter can we just start telling people we’re life partners or something stupid like that because I only want to be with you but we can’t get married it’s illegal so-“ 

Eddie covered his face with one hand, shaking his head. “Richie, we don’t have to worry about marriage right now-“

“That’s not the point, we need couple names, so do you want to be the girlfriend or am I the girlfriend-“

“We’re both boys! So fine! We’re boyfriends!” 

Richie stopped talking, buck teeth shining. “I just wanted to hear you say it,” 

“Fuck you,” 

Richie scrunched his nose at him and shook his head, planting his hands on both sides of Eddie’s face to pull him in for one last kiss. The boy’s tongue ran across his lips and one of the thumbs on his face pressed down, making Eddie gasp and open his mouth. Richie took this as an opportunity to lick inside Eddie’s mouth, running his tongue over Eddie’s to make him shiver. When he pulled back he trailed his hands down Eddie’s frame to his waist, letting them sit there. The short teen let himself fall forward, laying his head on Richie’s chest. A hand found its way into his hair, long fingers running through the soft strands. When Eddie closed his eyes, he had a soft smile on his face. 

**October 14, 1992**

Stan pulled on his shower cap, rolling his eyes at the laughter and teasing he got from his friends. They were all there that day, Beverly swaying lazily in the hammock while Mike helped Ben make a map of Derry on the wall. The two had a big piece of paper hung up and were drawing the city lines onto it. It was the last thing Ben wanted to add before he moved. Bill sat on the floor, writing furiously into a notebook and Eddie sat next to him, beta reading the pages already written. 

“So she’s trapped?’ 

“Yuh-yes Eddie, the whole buh-buh-book is about her being trah-trah-trapped,” Bill stuttered out quickly as to not distract himself from the scene he was playing out. 

“I hope she gets out…” Eddie mumbled quietly to himself, flipping to the next page. 

“I bet she won’t, Bill has the worst endings,”

“Thuh-thuh thanks Bev,” All of the losers laughed but Mike, who simply shook his head with a smile. 

“Where the hell is Trashmouth?” Stan asked as he ruffled through their shelves for his bird book. “He said he was coming,”

“Who knows,” Ben added, “He’s always up to something stupid,” Beverly snickered and Stan grinned, pulling out the book from the second to last shelf.

“I won’t disagree Ben,” 

The hatch to the clubhouse moved, making all of the losers turn to look up. As it was pulled open, leaves tumbled down the ladder into their hideaway, making Stan sigh and reach for a broom. Richie’s face came into sight, thin legs descending down the ladder pegs. He had a bag on his arm, logo unrecognizable. 

“Took ya long enough,” Bev teased, sitting up in her hammock. Richie just grinned at her, pulling the bag off his arm as his feet hit the ground. 

“I was kicking it with Mrs. Kaspbrak,”

“Of course you were,” Eddie deadpanned, squinting his eyes to read Bill’s handwriting.

“Eddie my love! Come here, she gave me something for you,’ 

Eddie looked up, dropping the pages beside Bill on the blanket they were on. Ben and Mike turned to watch what was happening, Stan just swept up the fallen leaves with a frown. 

“What’s in the bag Trashmouth?” Beverly asked, getting up to possibly peer in. The boy held his bag up in the air, away from her reach. 

“This is for my Spaghetti, not you, hands off,” 

“Your Spaghetti?” Mike asked with a smile, “When did Eddie Spaghetti become  _ your  _ Spaghetti?” Richie hopped back and forth on his feet. “He’s always been my Spaghetti, right Eds?”

“Absolutely not,” Eddie droned as he walked over to Richie, standing in front of him with an eyebrow raised. 

“Eddie, Eds, my love, you’re gonna like it so much,” A wide grin was spread over Richie’s face. He looked devastatingly cute, Eddie couldn’t help but stare. 

Stan finished up his pile, standing straight and crossing his arms. Ben pushed one last tack into the wall and walked a few steps over to where everyone was crowding. “What is it?” He asked. 

Richie reached into the bag, pulling out a book. Eddie furrowed his eyebrows, taking it from his boyfriend’s hands and reading the cover. 

“The basics of automobile repair?” 

Richie nodded at him, “You know how we found that old truck in your shed and you told me you’ve always wanted to fix-up a car on your own,” He motioned to the book. “I know your mom would never do anything to help you with it so I got you that to maybe,” He scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know…” 

Eddie smiled, looking down at the book and running a hand over it. It was brand new. “Rich, that’s so nice,” 

“Yeah,” Ben looked between them, confused. “Is it Eddie’s birthday or something?”

“No,” Richie rolled back and forth on his heels, looking excitedly around the group, then at Eddie, waiting for permission. Eddie bit the inside of his cheek, looking up at Richie, and after a moment of hesitation, nodding. The Losers were their friends, they wouldn’t judge them. Hopefully. Plus, what was the point of dating if no one knew you were anyways?” 

Richie all but squealed. “Eddie and I are dating, we’re boyfriends now,” He pointed at the book. “Boyfriends buy gifts, so I got him a gift, I’m so excited, he’s so cute and great-”

“I think they get it Rich,” 

The Losers were silent, sharing glances, Then Beverly spoke up. “You’re dating?” 

The two nodded, Eddie slower. 

She pursed her lips, then grinned. “Fucking finally,” The rest of the gang burst into chatter, agreeing with Beverly and teasing the two about how they thought they were just going to have to watch them both pine for all of eternity. Tears caught in the corners of Richie’s eyes and Eddie felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

Richie scratched the back of his head, looking around the group with a dopey grin, and flushed cheeks. He saw Stan staring and grinned gratefully at him, the boy just tilted his head, confused. He shook his head, of course Stan wouldn’t know. When his eyes finally met Eddie’s his heart swooned at the soft look on his boyfriend’s face. Things were going to be different, Eddie loved him back, and the Losers were perfectly accepting. Nothing could hurt him now, and nothing,  _ nothing,  _ was going to kill his Spaghetti either. 

_ Beat that ya clown fucker,  _ Richie sniffled,  _ beat that.  _

**Author's Note:**

> Richie deserved to be happy and was done so dirty.


End file.
